Chapter Text
Resources Development Administration Interview Full Audio Transcript
Interviewer: Lieutenant Vincent Yao, Bridgehead Security Operations Intelligence Analyst
Interviewee: Dr. Ian Garvin, RDA field researcher (Xenomarine Biology)
Date: [Redacted], 2170
Topic: Layona Kxitx (“Black Death” In Na’vi, “The Black Demise” in Human Language)
Location: Bridgehead, Pandora
[Audio Transcript Begins]
Dr. Ian Garvin (DIG): And to what do I owe the pleasure, lieutenant?
Lieutenant Vincent Yao (LVY): I’m compiling an important priority report for Cet-Ops and [redacted name], and I need your expertise.
DIG: I’m kinda busy drinking right now. Can’t you look for Scoresby instead?
LVY: Captain Mick Scoresby is currently in the ICU, and in a medically-induced coma after his emergency operation. He won’t be waking up anytime soon, and I’ve already debriefed most of the surviving Cet-Ops personnel.
DIG: Then why come to me? I’m just a field researcher, not a goddamn Cet-Ops trooper!
[Boots scrape the floor of the office as two BSO officers behind LVY tensed]
LVY: Dr. Garvin, please remain calm. The sooner you answer my questions, the sooner I’ll leave…and then you can get back to your drinking.
DIG: Alright, I’ll behave. But first, get your guard dogs out of here.
LVY: Can the both of you please wait outside? This interview may take a while.
[A hiss of doors opening and closing as both BSO officers left DIG’s office]
LVY: Dr. Garvin, as I said earlier I’m compiling an important priority report for -
DIG: Yes, but what’s the subject of the report? And why are you recording me?
LVY: It’s standard operation procedure for interviews, I’m sure you’re aware of that. As for the subject, it’s regarding a certain oceanic creature that’s been…a problem for Cet-Ops.
DIG: If you’re referring to the Tulkun with the missing forward left cephalic fin, I suggest you to go back to the ICU, shake Scoresby real hard and get your answers from him. To be honest, he and that particular Tulkun already had bad blood between them.
LVY: Ah…no, not Payakan. It’s regarding a certain Skimwing, or a Tsurak as the Na’vi call them. I’m sure you have seen them before?
DIG: Lieutenant, the Na’vi reef clans of Pandora’s Eastern Sea have plenty of Tsuraks. You have to be more specific.
LVY: Have you ever heard of Layona Kxitx, or The Black Demise?
DIG: …
[DIG takes a breath to calm himself]
DIG: Where did you hear that name?
LVY: From your audio recordings in your mobile research lab. There was an interview which you conducted with an unidentified Na’vi reef warrior, and he clearly had encountered Layona Kxitx, a fearsome Tsurak of unparalleled ferocity that resulted in the loss of his right arm and deep psychological trauma.
DIG: [a little agitated] And why are you asking me now? That interview was made some time ago, and it was out of curiosity that I asked about the existence of Layona kxitx and its significance.
LVY: Dr. Garvin, Layona Kxitx is very much real. It has caused major difficulties for Cet-Ops operations in the Eastern Sea, and [redacted name] has tasked me to compile this report.
DIG: I KNOW that Layona Kxitx is real, lieutenant. I may not have seen it with my own eyes, but the reef Na’vi don’t lie when it comes to their cautionary tales. Now, why do you want to know about it?
LVY: I was assigned the task of investigating the existence of Layona Kxitx, and to do that effectively I need data to compile my report.
DIG: Lieutenant, let’s be honest here; you want what I know about Layona Kxitx because your superiors want to contain it…or eliminate it.
LVY: I can’t confirm or deny what my superiors want, I’m just following orders.
DIG: My god, have they seriously gone (censored) insane?
LVY: Again, I can’t confirm or deny -
DIG: Okay, stop. I know what you’re gonna say, and we would be chasing circles around each other until ecological Armageddon rolls in to kill us all. Jesus, and I thought hunting Tulkuns for Amrita was bad enough…
LVY: Dr. Garvin, I’m not here to listen to your personal opinions.
DIG: Don’t patronise me. I can recite the many instances of hypocrisy and hubris I witnessed since the day I landed on Pandora from the orbiting ISV spacecraft. [pause] You have no idea what you are messing with…
LVY: Dr. Garvin, if we can just -
DIG: [interrupting] …just like the Recombinant freakshow of a SecOps colonel your superiors brought back from the dead, who then commandeered Scoresby’s Seadragon to aid in his personal vendetta which unsurprisingly blew up in his face, leaving us in this god-forsaken mess!
LVY: Dr. Garvin, I must warn you -
DIG: [interrupting] …and do you realize how long I was left floating in the ocean alongside Scoresby after the Matador was destroyed by Payakan, before being saved by the crew of nearest surviving Picador? It was a harrowing ordeal, during which I fervently prayed an Akula or Nalutsa wouldn’t swim by!
[A clattering sound of an empty Cerveza Beer can hit the office floor and rolled away]
LVY: [in a cautious but serious tone] Careful, Dr. Garvin. This conversation is being recorded as we speak, and there will be consequences if you step out of line. My superiors aren’t as…understanding as I am.
DIG: Threats now? The RDA has threatened to shut down my oceanographic research and severely slash my funding if I so much as breathe a word about my concerns about Cet-Ops operations. [pause] And there is also no need to deny it, since the only way Cet-Ops was able to hunt down Tulkuns so quickly was by procuring all the data I have gathered on my personal datapad over the past year. The fact that you have knowledge of the Layona Kxitx means that the RDA also have surreptitious access to the other data in my mobile research lab vessel.
LVY: [in a cordial tone] While I’m not allowed to disclose how I obtained the data, my reply earlier was only a polite warning. For you to be thrown into the brig for sedition would be very…difficult for my current task at hand.
DIG: And that’s the problem with all soldier-types, even the ones who analyse stolen data behind desks. [mutters] “When the fish is refused, the spear comes out.”
LVY: [translating smoothly into Na’vi] "Krra ke mll'an payoang, tùkru wrrzau."
DIG: Your grasp of the reef Na’vi dialect is pretty good.
LVY: I wouldn’t be an intelligence analyst if I wasn’t, and I have studied Xenolinguistics extensively enough to know that analogy you’ve just used is a Metkayina-related term.
DIG: Wait a second. [pause] I thought all files related to the Avatar (AVTR) Program were highly classified, especially the books authored personally by Dr. Augustine Grace?
LVY: They are, Dr. Garvin. But I have the clearance to read them all, at least those that have been successfully recovered by SecOps forces when they retook Hell’s Gate.
DIG: [chuckles hollowly] You’re wasted in SecOps, lieutenant. With that kind of analytical mind and a noteworthy grasp of the Na’vi language, you would have made a fine field researcher. Maybe you should consider a change in career paths?
LVY: I shall take that as a compliment. Now, can we get back on track?
DIG: I can’t say I’m surprised with what your superiors are asking for. Have you seen the state of my office, lieutenant? I’ve done my best with whatever resources I could scrape together, but the RDA are still demanding more from me.
LVY: I’m not here to talk about the conditions of your workspace either, Dr. Garvin.
DIG: [sighs] Before you began, do you mind if you answer another question of mine?
LVY: That depends on the question, doctor.
[Sound of DIG sipping a drink, presumably another can of Cerveza Beer]
DIG: What have you learned so far about Layona Kxitx from my audio recordings?
LVY: [clears throat] Layona Kxitx, AKA “Black Death” or “The Black Demise” in both Na’vi and human languages respectively, is a subspecies of Skimwing or Tsurak known for its vicious nature, significantly greater size, unusual skin colour of pitch black and deep green eyes. The reef Na’vi of the Eastern Sea also seem to hold a deep reverence of Layona Kxitx as part of their oceanic-based culture and folklore, although its existence is shrouded in mysticism and legends.
DIG: Not bad, you’ve done your homework. But that’s not what you’re after, is it? The other Cet-Ops officers I have met before you didn’t display even half the same amount of investigative interest you’ve shown.
LVY: I’m just a lieutenant.
DIG: [pause] Are you by chance related to anyone within the Avatar Program, lieutenant?
LVY: [an equivocal shrug] I’m afraid that’s classified information.
DIG: Fair enough. But you still don’t know everything about Layona Kxitx.
LVY: I was hoping you could fill in the blanks for me, Dr. Garvin. I’ve searched through all of your available xenomarine research audio recordings repeatedly to make sure I didn’t overlook any crucial details, but I couldn’t find anything more than what I’ve just shared.
DIG: That’s because I don’t record everything down, lieutenant. It's the least I could do for the level of trust the reef Na’vi showed me before everything went to hell. And besides, there is no guarantee I can give that you will like what you hear.
LVY: I understand your concerns. But I’m here to gather as much information as I can about Layona Kxitx, to understand and potentially mitigate the threat it poses to RDA operations. The situation with regards to this particular sea creature has reached a dire stage, and Cet-Ops is determined to address it. And in order to do that, I need to know everything that you know with regards to Layona Kxitx so I can properly advise my superiors when making my report. It’s not a matter of liking or disliking what I hear; it’s about getting the facts.
[There was a long extended pause of approximately thirty seconds, during which the soft beeping of a digital clock could be heard]
DIG: [sighs] Very well, lieutenant. You’ve made your point very clear. But remember, knowledge can be a boon or a curse depending on those who wield it.
[Pause as DIG takes another sip from his can of Cerveza beer]
DIG: [takes a deep breath] Layona Kxitx is a sea creature that has haunted the nightmares of many reef Na’vi living in the Eastern Sea region of Pandora. It’s not just a large Tsurak; it’s a force of nature, an apex predator unlike any other. The Na’vi name, “Black Death”, is NOT an exaggeration. [he stresses the word ‘not’ significantly] To the reef clans, especially the Metkayina, it’s a fearsome creature of legend, whispered about in the darkest corners of the reef Na'vi's oral traditions. I want you to understand the gravity of what you're dealing with here.
LVY: I understand, Dr. Gavin. Please continue.
DIG: [pause] As you’ve likely gathered from your research, it’s a sea creature of considerable size, strength and cunning. You see, in the Eastern Sea, where the reef Na'vi dwell, the ocean is their lifeblood, their connection to Eywa. And Layona Kxitx; this huge, enigmatic Skimwing, is a symbol, a representation of the raw, unforgiving essence of that world. If the Tulkuns are seen as the angels of the ocean, then Layona Kxitx would undoubtedly be its malevolent counterpart. The reef Na’vi, at least those that I’ve interacted with, fear it as much as they respect it.
LVY: So it’s their version of the devil?
DIG: Not exactly, the truth is far more complex than that. Among the reef clans, there are a variety of beliefs when it comes to Layona Kxitx. Some among the reef Na’vi believe that it is a guardian of the Eastern Sea, a protector of their sacred waters. There are others view it as a harbinger of doom, that its appearance would only promise spilled blood and death. Furthermore, I’ve also heard that a clan of reef Na’vi even worships the Layona Kxitx as a symbol of vengeance within its clan rituals. They don’t openly speak of its existence, but you can still discern the influence of Layona Kxitx’s presence within the reef Na’vi’s rich culture, nearly as significant as the familial relationships with the Tulkuns themselves.
LVY: I see, that’s certainly interesting.
DIG: Exactly. They hold a deep reverence for this sea creature, and the fact that the reef Na’vi have incorporated it into their oral traditions means that Layona Kxitx is not just a random predator; it holds a special place in their unique perspective of the oceans.
LVY: Are there any specific rituals or customs the reef Na'vi associate with Layona Kxitx?
DIG: Yes, but those rituals are closely guarded secrets of the Olo’eyktans and Tsahiks. I learned about them through my interactions with the reef Na'vi, but I don't have all the details. They make elaborate offerings to Layona Kxitx, tokens of their respect and reverence. Rituals involving bioluminescent flora, songs, and dances meant to convey their understanding of the creature's role in their ecosystem, and certain prayers for protection. The reef Na'vi believe that if they show respect and maintain the balance of their environment, Layona Kxitx will not harm them. The Metkayina’s reef warriors also avoid certain outlying areas of the Eastern Sea at night, presumably where it’s believed to be most active. However, these methods are based on folklore and tradition, and so their effectiveness is questionable.
LVY: I see. [pause] What about you, Dr. Gavin? What purpose do you think it fulfils?
DIG: [pauses for a few quiet moments] I only have a working hypothesis at the moment.
LVY: And the nature of that hypothesis?
DIG: [takes another sip of his beer and exhales deeply] Beggar after knowledge, huh? But remember lieutenant, you asked for this. Nonetheless, understand that what I'm about to tell you goes beyond the realm of simple scientific observation. It delves into the heart of Pandora's mysteries.
LVY: I’m all ears, doctor.
DIG: Layona Kxitx isn't just an oversized Skimwing with a unique coloration. The reef Na’vi consider it a living embodiment of the balance they strive to maintain in their ecosystem. They tell stories of its wrath, but also its wisdom.
LVY: That's quite different from our perception of it as a dangerous threat to humans in particular.
DIG: Exactly. They believe that it only attacks when that balance is disrupted, when outsiders like us intrude upon its domain with destructive technology. Layona Kxitx’s violent responses may be its way of preserving the delicate equilibrium of the oceans.
LVY: But that still doesn’t explain its uncanny ability to target the vulnerabilities of various Cet-Ops aircraft.
DIG: That’s where the mysticism comes into play. The reef Na'vi believe that Layona Kxitx possesses a unique connection to Eywa. They think it can sense the disharmony caused by our technology and is guided by some higher force to dismantle it by any means necessary to avoid further damage to the oceans.
LVY: Eywa? You mean the same deity the Na'vi worship?
DIG: Yes, precisely. To the reef Na'vi, Eywa is a living, guiding force in Pandora's interconnected ecosystem. They believe that Layona Kxitx is a form of manifestation of Eywa's will, sent by her to protect their oceans from those who threaten it with harm. And to do that effectively Layona Kxitx would need to be formidable enough to fight back against any possible enemy intrusions, hence the incredible size, speed and strength the huge Skimwing displays when attacking any threats to Eywa’s oceanic domains.
LVY: That's a concerning aspect, indeed. Do you have any other working theories on how Layona Kxitx acquired the knowledge to counter the tactics and armaments of Cet-Ops aircraft?
DIG: [sighs as he taps his fingers on the table] From what I have gathered in my research, it’s possible that certain Pandoran creatures, including some Tulkuns like Payakan, have an innate ability to sense weaknesses in our technology. This could be related to their connection with the planet's ecosystem. Even so, that theory is still largely speculative, and further research would be needed to confirm this.
LVY: So is there any indication that Layona Kxitx and Payakan are working together, or is it merely a coincidence?
DIG: It's honestly difficult to say for sure. The correlation between their similar actions is strong, but whether it’s intentional cooperation or simply a shared instinct is unclear. Either way, it makes them a deadly combination. [pause] I count my blessings to whatever god that’s listening out there that Layona Kxitx didn’t appear during the battle at the Three Brothers island chain that day, or else there would be likely no survivors whatsoever for you to debrief.
LVY: I have read the after-action report of that battle by survivors of the 1st Recom Squad, Dr. Gavin. We are still struggling to recover from the losses we suffered, in terms of both human lives and the near-irreplaceable loss of the Seadragon as well as substantial numbers of additional ships and aircraft.
DIG: Pandora's oceans are dangerous and unforgiving, lieutenant. They will test the limits of any who venture into their depths. Layona Kxitx, I believe, is just one manifestation of the planet's inherent dangers. There could be others out there across Pandora’s surface, waiting for their chance to punish us for our hubris. So it’s not just about fear; it’s about coexistence.
LVY: Coexistence? That's an interesting perspective, considering the serious threat Layona kxitxis poses to Cet-Ops operations.
DIG: It’s a complex situation. The reef Na'vi see it as another aspect of their way of life, and they're willing to defend it fiercely.
LVY: I guess capturing or eliminating Layona Kxitx could lead to conflict with the reef Na'vi?
DIG: [sighs deeply] More than just conflict, lieutenant. It could even lead to outright disaster. The reef Na'vi are already distrustful of the RDA and Cet-Ops because of the hunting of Tulkuns. If Cet-Ops were to go after Layona Kxitx, then you risk alienating them completely. And believe me, you do not want the reef Na'vi as enemies. I have firsthand experience of their combat prowess, and it isn’t pretty to witness.
LVY: I understand the potential consequences, doctor. But my orders are clear, and I have a duty to carry them out.
DIG: [pause] Duty can be a double-edged sword, lieutenant. Sometimes, it's worth questioning whether the orders you receive are truly in the best interests of everyone involved.
LVY: I’ll mention what you have shared with me in my final report. However, I cannot guarantee what action my superiors in Cet-Ops will take with regards to the fluid situation with Layona Kxitx.
DIG: [sighs] Lieutenant, I've seen a lot during my time here on Pandora, and I know that Cet-Ops tends to operate with its own agenda. Just remember, Layona Kxitx is not just a sea creature; it is a symbol of Pandora's delicate balance. Whatever decision is made by your superiors, it will definitely have far-reaching consequences.
LVY: [chair scrapes] Thank you for your cooperation, Dr. Gavin. I think I have what I need for now. Anything else you would like me to know before I leave?
DIG: One more thing before you go. If you wish to know more about Layona Kxitx, you might want to look into the research notes of Dr. Michelle Yin. She’s the only xenoveteranian in the Avatar Program; I had previously engaged in some xenomarine biology discussions with her before.
LVY: I'll keep that in mind, Dr. Gavin. And I'll let you get back to your research.
DIG: Research, yes. [pause] Pandora has a way of revealing its own truths, whether we seek them or not. Now, kindly vacate my office, I have some more drinking to do.
[Audio Transcript Ends]